The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-19

election had given 1000 Democratic majority.
This he oyercame and was elected By majority
LIE. He was reelected to Congress in 1853
and in 1860, at the last session. was elected
Speaker, being twice reelected to that position,
the last time in 1867. He nominated for
Vice-president on the ticket with Grant, IN
1868. and elected At the end of his term he re-
tired from public life. and from then until his
death his time was largely taken MP with lectur-
ing, chiefly upon the life aud public services OF
Abraham Lincoln. 1t wae while on his way TO
fill lecture engagement at Omaha that he died
suddenly in the railway waiting room at Manka-
to, Mimi, Jan. l3, 1885,
1876, and entered the Grand Lodge of Indiana in
July, 1849 He was elected by the Grand En-
campment to represent it at the next session OF
the Grand Lodge of the United States, and the
following September attended. He won the
friendship of everyone and for nearly ten years
represented his State in that body He was
asked to become a candidate for grand sire. but
declined as, not having held the Office of grand
master in Indiana, he was not eligible. 1t was
in September. 1851, that the legislation, urged
by Mr. Colfax, creating the ladies degree was
carried by Al to 81 votes.
AS early as 1S45 a representative in the Grand
Lodge from Alabama offered a resolution that 1t
was expedient to adopt some measures whereby
the wives of Odd-fellows could make themselves
known to members of the order. and lodges
were granted permission to give certificates to the
wives of Odd-fellows if they saw proper In
1850 w. L. G.. Smith, a represen tative from
New York, offered resolution looking to the
creating of degrees for the wives and daughters
of members This went to the committee on
legislation. consisting of Colfax of Indiana,
Larne of Louisiana, and Kennedy of New York.
Two of the committee reported adversely Col
fax, as chairman, submitted a minority report
favoring it, and asking for committee OF three
TO prepare a ladies' degree, with signs and pass
words, and report at the next session After
long discussion the minority report was adopted,
and Colfax. Martin of Mississippi, and Steele
of Tennessee were appointed to prepare
a ladies' degree. The degree was adopted
ship. In 1852 the grand sire reported
that the ladies' degree had been adopted by all
the jurisdictions except North Carolina and
Maryland, and the latter held out until 1856 At
each session of the Grand Lodge since 1850 the
privileges of the degree have been extended. At
the last session, held in Boston, the Grand
Lodge adopted revised ritual and the lodges of
the Daughters of Rebekah now stand on nearly
the same ground as the others To the day of
his death Mr. Colfax was a devoted Odd fellow.
Four months before his death, attending the In
diana Grand Lodge in November, 1884. in adj
dressing those whom he loved so deeply, he
said Brethren. when / dead l want you
to bury me-" The summons came much sooner
than those who heard it from one who seemed
the picture of health expected. He borne
by his brethren to his last resting place, and
has been said. THE rich legacy he has left in
the Degree of Rebekah will link his name for
all time to come with the workings of American
Odd-fellowship."